Last week I promised to talk about the care and
preservation of our comic book collections, and that is just what I intend to
do. Some of what follows may get technical or scientific, but I promise I will
break it down for ease of use. Please keep in mind, this information is based
on my own experience and some base science knowledge, as well as general
consensus within the comic collecting/archiving community. This post is meant as
a primer for your collection, I encourage you to research further. In addition,
I should note I missed that Omnipotence/Omniscience 101 class they were
offering at the local community college. Thusly if you see a mistake drop a
line to liampotterx@gmail.com, and I
will correct any inaccuracies.
First things first, what kind of collector are you?
I break the community down into 5 archetypes: the reader, the casual collector,
the serious collector, the investor and the speculator. Any one collector other
than the reader may want to invest in some level of protection and preservation
of his or her collection. You have to decide if you want or need to protect
your comic book investment.
With even a minimum of care your comics can be
around for a long time. There are many examples of people finding million
dollar+ collections in a family member’s basement, stored only in a box or
closet. That type of storage (closet/basement) however leaves much to chance
and assumes near perfect conditions with no accidental damage.
So let us assume you give a crap about your
collection and you want to preserve it for untold future generations. I myself
am aiming for “this dude must have been an ancient American Pharaoh, class. His
extensive collection of exquisitely preserved sequential art shows how much he
was revered by his comic book slaves, harem and people, as the greatest of them
all…we shall call him Dudenkhamen…or maybe even Comickhamen.” I like the sound
of that.
Okay on to the nuts and bolts.
1. Bag
or no bag?
No, I am not talking
about grocery store bags, but about storage bags for your comics. Depending on
your choice of materials the cost can be a significant factor so choose wisely
my young Padawan. The most common bagging materials are PP (polypropylene) and
PE (Polyethylene). Both can be used for SHORT term storage of your comics. 5
months (PP) to 1 year (PE) maximum. PP is a derivative of PE; it is transparent
and tends to be more rigid. PE is translucent, has more give and is inert.
Translucency helps combat UV light (a comic killer); being an inert material PE
has a lower draw for contaminants. I personally would recommend use of these
materials (especially PP) for no longer than a matter of months, save up the
money for better storage materials and it will pay off in the long run.
Upgrades to the
following types of bags are in essence, archival grade storage solutions, and
this is where cost can become an obstacle. Mylar D/ Mylite (Mylar was invented
by the DuPont Corporation in 1954), and Melinex 516 (an equivalent product form
ICI Corporation), are the material of choice for long term protection (5+ years.)
Collectively these solutions are made from a material called PET (polyethylene
terephthalate) and are the standard used by the National Archives and Library
of Congress for storage of paper materials in need . PET offers many types of
protection, it is dielectric, hydrolytic, reflective, and offers UV protection.
PET comes in varying thicknesses from .5-4mm, at the lower end PET is brittle
and difficult to manage, however at higher thicknesses rigidity can be a factor
and may in fact damage your comics. My preference is 2mm Mylite (Mylite2),
offering protection and give in the material. The 2mm option also helps keep
costs down as 4mm Mylar can be very expensive (in the near 400-600 dollar range
for 1000 bags, compared to a little over 100 dollars for the same quantity of
PE.)
The final variable in
baseline protection is encapsulation. Companies like CGC (Comic Guaranty Corp.)
or PGX (Professional Grading Experts) offer for a fee to encapsulate your
comic(s) in plastic containers.[1] I
can’t speak to what materials are used exactly, but I do know they both use an
inner Mylar well and MCP (micro chamber paper) to protect the individual comic.
Encapsulation can be very expensive, but may have value for very high dollar
comic books which require extra protection. It should be noted that these
containers are not hermetically sealed and can still take damage if placed in
water or left in direct sunlight etc. Another drawback to encapsulation; your
comic can’t be read. Once certified, graded and sealed, the owner is now unable
to read the comic (unless you want to break open the packaging you just dropped
serious coin for.) If, however you have a comic you plan to auction, or is
susceptible to damage without encapsulation, you may wish to consider this
avenue.
2. Backing
Boards and MCP
I will refrain from
categorizing and just go with one type of backing material. Acid and Lignin
free boards, really that is it, nothing else should be backing your comics.
Over time and especially with older comics (pulpy old newsprint for the most
part) they will breakdown from the lignin, well more due to the oxidation and
exposure to sunlight/UV light of the lignin contained within the material.
Lignin is the bonding material of cells and fibers in plants and wood. With
exposure to oxygen and UV, the material begins to breakdown and release
acid/gases trapped within. Said release will cause removal of ink to your
backing boards if not changed out periodically. This release is also why CGC
and PGX encapsulated comics are not completely sealed, there needs to be a way
for the released gasses to escape. Even with this protective measure these
boards like your Mylar’s should be changed on a 5-7 year cycle.
MCP (no, not the Master
Control Program, Tron nerds) or micro chamber paper is another available
protective element. Placed between pages (my preferred and probably overboard
method is 1 sheet between front and back cover and 1 at center) MCP pulls
contaminants away from your comics and decreases the release of gases from comic
pages. While not cheap, it is a viable and comic saving/ preserving measure,
especially for high value comics.
3. Temperature
and relative humidity
Temperature for storage
should be number one consistent and between 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Consistency
will help alleviate problems with drying and mold growth. This of course also
depends on the relative humidity.
Relative humidity is a
measure or ratio of moisture in the air relative to its potential to hold it
(thus air is a vehicle and does not bind or encapsulate moisture) Low humidity
conditions increase drying and cracking and high humidity leads to
condensation. So much like your skin (hey I’m dry I need lotion or jeebus I am
sweating like a pig…wait do pigs sweat?) your comics are screaming (quietly)
for you to control the humidity. 50% would be close to ideal, not too wet and
not too dry.
4. Location
and environmental hazards
Water, fire, sunlight, insects,
assorted vermin, nosy children, mothers who throw shit away!! These are the
enemies. Water and fire should be pretty obvious. So no storage of your comics
near fire or heat sources, or directly beneath that leaky pipe in your basement.
If the basement is your only option, then make sure your books are at least one
foot off the ground in case of accidental flooding. Also no storing in safes
(oxidize faster) or storage sheds (please...No!) Sunlight especially direct
sunlight and the very nasty UV light (yea p.s. keep your comics in a room with
incandescent bulbs, no fluorescents) are seriously no bueno! UV light like
oxidation increase the release of acid gases and accelerates the decay of your
books.
Children and mothers
are another concern (I suppose we can add nosy neighbors too) cake is bad for
your comics. Chocolate is bad, juice boxes are bad, children are bad (I will
caveat this with ADD comic loving children are good and they will grow up to be
your master one day, be nice to them). Make them go away or lock the room your
comics are in. Your mother really wants to free up space at her house for a children’s
cake and juice box room. Your comics will be the first thing she passes out to
neighbor kids at Halloween, drops of at the goodwill, or blasphemy of
blasphemies throws in the trash!!! Go get them from her house and store them
(properly) at yours.
Insects and assorted
vermin are another and very serious concern for the comic collector. On the
Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. where I live we have to name just a few; the Brown
Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys), Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina),
Termites (order Isoptera, species varies), and the Common Cockroach (order
Blattodea, species varies). Vermin available range from field mice (Miceus
Grossasshitus) to the giant city dwelling rat (Rattus nativeNewyorkus) All of
the above plus many others will eat paper. Comic books are made of paper…you do
the math. Now I have readers in the U.S., the U.K., Continental Europe, and
Asia, I would recommend consulting an entomologist or zoologist if you have any
area specific questions. You may have noticed I made up those vermin names…because
rats and mice are nasty.
5. Basic
handling
Okay so where do I start?
Hands. Your hands contain oils. Oils are bad for comics. Especially old comics.
Wash your hands. No, seriously wash and dry your hands prior to handling your
comics, and if they happen to be really old, you may want to consider handling
them with white (lint free, lisle cotton) gloves. Like you see all those guys
in museums on the History Channel wearing, gloves are made to protect fragile
objects from the oils and other potential contaminants on the surface of your
skin.
Positioning and
repositioning? Are my comics Vertical or horizontal in the box? When removing or replacing your comic in your
acid and lignin free box, with your clean and gloved hands, that have
previously shooed away bugs, vermin, people etc., then gently removing it from your
Mylite2’s and placing it on your clean surface…yada yada yada. Personal
preference as far as storing my books. I prefer vertical as I believe it can
help to prevent spine roll, you may have other ideas. I respect that…but you’re
wrong. Still do as you please what do I know… a lot, I’ve only been at this
since before you were born. No seriously it really is a matter of room and
preference. If you have space and feel comfortable than do so. In the end it is your collection, your
treasures,, time and money. You have to decide how much care and concern your
collection deserves. For me the future Comickhamen, they are my ticket to
eternity.
Next time on “Sounds
Better in a Bubble” we will talk about another key issue. Until then, keep
reading Comics…they’re brain food!!
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